So to my amazement my late 2000 (T3?) GS300 passed the MOT with its very aged and knackered exhaust. Two advisories, webbing of a seat belt and "oil leak pinion rear diff". So two questions if I may for your thoughts, experience and knowledge :)
1. Theres no Diff whine, and though wet, I'm not getting any drips. And to be honest I've not had a leaky diff on any car before. Is this common? Tough to fix? Indicative of anything major (other than the diff running dry of course)? (cars just coming up to 150k miles)
2. Exhausts. How much difference to the sound do the "resonators" and maybe third cat make internally? I don't want to lose back pressure anyway, but I see/read that people who have fitted stainless steel systems without the "resonators" on the middle/Y-pipe are getting a lot of drone inside. What needs to stay in some fashion to keep the internal noise level as close to stock as possible?
I ask because I still want to replace the system from the front to the back (not the manifold and 2 front cats though, they're okay). Standard systems used are £300+, third party new totals around £400 or so. Stainless steeel fitted new, cheapest quote so far is £390 (I've had loads of quotes). However, thats almost certainly without the resonators/mufflers on the Y pipe.
Last option and most likely one is some shiney tail pipes from the USA (those plus shipping works out cheaper than UK fitted ones). All I want is a healthy system in the middle (third cat/front pipe and middle Y-piece) and shiney non-OTT tail pipes that just give a little more external tune for the lovely 2JZ. Seeing as standard rear boxes are pushing on £200 a piece new, I can get a pair of stainless steel ones for about £280, or for £340'ish I can get a Manzo cat back (Y-piece and rear boxes) however the Y-piece has no "resonators" and tempting as it looks, I fear a terrible noise inside and possibly a drop in back pressure I'd rather not have.
Sorry for the waffle, but the whole picture might save some guess work for you :)
(Images of a standard system and a Manzo cat back for reference about what I am waffling on about)

Sorry to bring this thread back to life, but I've MOT'ed it now and thought I'd share the results (and put a new thread up)
So, I pulled some of the gum gum off and found a 2cm hole. Due to the cold, I just got some JB weld and stuffed it on the hole (in a manner of speaking) and some over the blow on the silencer. I then had a look underneath at the rest of the system and found other random areas with exhaust paste and gum gum hanging off and generally, one very old and worn out looking system. The previous owner kept it garaged, but I've only a sodden patch of grass to park on, which doesn't help.
I assumed the exhaust would fail on "excessive corrosion" and a bush/bearing/ball joint or something (as I get a slight low speed knock and mild wobbles at 80+) and any number of other things (being paranoid as my previous car, a CLK 320 failed terribly) But to my amazement, it passed with 2 advisories "slight webbing of nearside front seat belt, but not weakened" and "oil leak at pinion on rear diff". So I was well happy and surprised! And more happy that I have a lexus again :)

Hi, thank you for your reply. Yes, I'd say its gumgum or similar on it, I did see it when I bought the car and knocked the price down a bit as a result. Its not leaking at the moment from there, but I dare say its a metal/rust mess underneath the gumgum mess hence I think I'm best dropping the lot cat back (cats are only a couple of years old).
The quote from MIJ (based in the Wallsal I believe) was for the entire cat back (so mid Y piece and both rear boxes) with either single or twin tail pipes for the fitted price (inc VAT) of £444.99. I have tried about 3 other zoorst peeps but they have either come in much higher or say to bring the car down to give a price. To me £445 with a lifetime warranty is not to bad, but I'd ideally prefer to just slap a second hand one on for the time being to see it through an MOT, just in case the car fails elsewhere or lets me down badly over the next few months (unlikely but one never knows).

Hi all!
Having had my latest GS300 for a couple of months now, the MOT is due and I know the current exhaust is an issue (see pics).
I have been desperately hunting for a stainless steel system in preference to an OEM seeing that the two used ones on eBay are a mighty £350! And MIJ have quoted me £445 for new S/S with life time warranty (as an FYI).
So the questions are:
1. If I plug that hole in the back box, and make sure that and the awful paste all over the joint isn't leaking either (thats how I bought the car, not my handy work I'll add) might I stand a chance I wonder, as technically the fail is excessive corrosion. But I fear all that putty is an obvious giveaway of excessive corrosion even if its not leaking.
2. Another MOT requirement seems to be the correct number of baffles/mufflers, so should one slap a S/S cat back on would it be an issue. Or should I maybe say has anyone taken there car (any car) in for an MOT with a S/S cat back and had any issues other than possible noise or emissions?
Many thanks! I am getting a little frustrated that in the last two months I've not found a single second hand S/S system and I'm not really wanting to throw to much on the car just yet until I've had it a while longer.

Hi everyone again, sorry to resurrect this old thread but I hate googling something and finding unresolved posts so thought I'd cap this one off for the archives.
I had all 4 wheels balanced and one of them was badly out so that made a vast improvement, however still very slight wobbles at higher speeds. More recently a low speed knock can be heard from the front suspension so as yet I've not tracked it down but the cars due for an MOT so I'll know for sure then. My money is on a lower ball joint as the wobbles increase a little on long bends (at speed) but not so much at lower speeds (if at all) so weight and speed variable wobbles.
Thanks again to everyone for the advise! :)

Just an update to this old post for future archives etc. Though I have not yet acquired it you definitely need a white disc with the system updates in order to use later maps, and of course the white disc is a dealer only kind of thing or Lexus-Map-updates who confirmed this theory.
Thanks again everyone who replied and sorry to resurrect an old post, but I don't like seeing unresolved threads when googling :)

Thanks again everyone! Much appreciated.
Well, yesterday I changed the front discs which were warped. Also, being British weather and outside, and my luck, it starting pouring down when taking the last disc off and my windows were down as it was sunny and warm just minutes before. Went to turn the ignition on to bring the windows up and the battery was flat. So after a moment of "why me!!!!" as my car filled with rain, I took a spare battery off another car and got my windows up. Soon as I did that, it stopped raining! :D
Anyway, Sods law. The wobbling is a fair bit less now after the brake discs which is unexpected. Still there but barely noticeable at all. Looking at the front tyres (not had the backs off yet) I could only find a slice into the drivers side tyre which is not good, but not very deep (going to get a replacement asap anyway) and light wear on the inside compared to all the other tyres which seem to have been replaced at the same time and not long ago. However they're not what I would call quality tyres, noisy at speed, and I can see where balancing weights were, but are not there anymore - I wonder if cheap tyres done by cheap garage may be the case and as said, and not properly balanced. So I'm certainly on to that - I would have been straight away if it were not for my previous car having wobbles for other reasons.
Looking underneath when doing the discs, and on such I was super lucky that the sliders were still sliding, however the pistons on the drivers side were reluctant to push back. The car certainly is a OAP type thing, inside and outside very clean and cared for, likely never gone above 50mph or 2k rpm. So it seems to be the original exhaust and the brake discs were very old and weak. The joints, bushes and arms are okay.... but looking pretty darn old.
Anyway, wheel balance on all 4 and hope for the best - oh and sort this tyre out too, but if a shame as its got a lot of tread left and matches the other 3 but hey hoo.
PS) Anyone selling a second hand Stainless steel (preferably) mid section and back boxes?

On a casual look out for the following for a 2000 MK2 GS300:
1. Stainless Steel Exhaust, Cat back, used and usable ideally.
2. Silver factory boot Spoiler
3. 2008-2009 Navigation DVD for a generation 00 system (can provide codes if you're not sure)
Thanks :)

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. An update on all the above after a play today...in the rain....booooo....
Apart from the small update to the above things, I've added a chunk of helpful info to those with the same model GS300 as myself. Those elusive hidden menus, climate control diagnostics, and some other things.
~So.....
Bonnet:
Is bent or wing and light dropped? But I spun the bonnet stops all ways but the result is the same gap on that side. Push down on that side and the gap closes and I hear the latch meet the bottom of the catch (needing that bit of movement lest the bonnet release get jammed). I need to get another cross member piece (slam panel or whatever) as I don't think I can safely tap the current one back into shape, its too tough. In any case, looking at the picture, imagine pressing down on the bonnet on that gapped side, the bonnet goes down and the gap closes, but let go and it sets back to that gapped position on that side. Other side remains fine.
SATNAV:
I've taken all details of the SatNav and gone on the hunt for an update disc but I believe mine is even tougher than the majority to acquire elsewhere to Lexus Map Updates at £150 odd. My Disc code is 08664-50860 / 86271-70V290, and the System code (label on the back of the drive) 86841-47030, and E1 after the barcode. Which according to LMU's site, I need a PZ445-L00EU-9. And from what I can deject, the actual system is a TNS300 or TNS310 also sued at some point in the RX models.
PZ445 no idea, but L00 is Lexus Generation 00 system, EU (yep, region) and 2008-09. I see a good many dvd's on ebay, but none remotely close to 70V290 disc code or L00 system code. I read they only made that system version from July 2000 to July 2001. So at the moment, its either hope someone finds one and sells it to me, or I fork out a lot of money for LMU disc which at that cost for an already outdated map, I might be better going the third party route.
.......................................................................
On other things, I found a lot of people were having issues with some of the lesser known tricks for GS300 Mk2's like mine, so here are my findings for future googlers.
1. DVD eject. E-brake/Handbrake ON. Key turned to first position. Go to the boot/trunk, lift carpet flap on right and see drive. Undo two obvious screws on each side holding it down. Now carefully lift at the front of the unit to angle it (it remains attached so don't go ape on it thinking its now meant to come out completely - there's no need). See the eject button and the fact it has a gap next to the button (this ones eluded a few it seems) you simply...press and hold the eject button and slide said button over the only way it can go. Out pops disc. ...and insert new or reinsert old disc and slide eject button back over etc.
2. Steering column reach - get half an inch more (oh la la). bring it to its maximum reach then flick the stick 8 times towards you and it moves another little bit. That's all you get and it doesn't retain that extended position in memory. I would hazard a guess its for improving access to something when working on or around the steering column.
3. So called hidden menu on the Generation 00 system. Ignition on, bring the system to the map or audio screen, hold the INFO button and with the headlight switch already set to OFF (all the way down) flick it up to the parking light setting 4 times (if that doesn't work, try 5 times as I forget if it was 3 or 5 sorry), no need to rush it and you'll hear the relay for the lights click, just one, two, three, four and if your system is the same, you'll get the menu with service, display and vehicle (I think) come up. Not a great deal to play with as you'd get on later models, but it will show error codes for certain things, the option to clear them (press and hold the CLEAR box/icon on the bottom right and hear a beep and see the codes vanish.
4. Climate control diagnostics. Ignition on (or start engine) and press and hold the AUTO and Recirculation/auto/fresh air button together for a few seconds - the lights will now flash 4 times then (on the screen) you'll see in the top right corner under drivers side temperature either 00 (I assume no faults) or a code if there is a fault - press the temp button (physical button above) to move to the next possible fault code.
5. Removing the cabin filter. Again this one seems to have eluded some, so here's my findings. Best leaning in from the passenger side door, not reaching over the arm rest. Open the glove box, see the back of the Glovebox tray a piece of plastic obviously clipped in and simple to pop out, do so, and see behind it set rather far back (not directly under the CD changer as some might have thought) you can see another plastic panel, don't be afraid, just reach in with your fingers and pop that out. Alas behind it is the filter with UP written either side. It has a tab in the middle to pull it from however I found I needed both hands (and some skin loss) to pinch the tab with finger and thumb of both hands to get enough grip and strength to extract it. Inspect it, see crap in it unless its new, maybe find a reason for bad smells that isn't your wife, children of thy self.
6. On UK models, see on the passenger side windscreen wiper arm the letter A? If you apply pressure under that arm, it will move the blades up the screen a few inches. This I assume is how you change blades more easily and give yourself access to the wiper blades in frosty/icy weather by placing something under them, or pulling them out over night so they're not stuck to the screen in the morning.
7. Last thought, one day, pull up the boot carpet panel and remove the plastic tray over the spare wheel and inspect the two beams on either side (between jack and wheel well on the left, DVD drive and wheel well on the right) and see if any of the useless round black stickers have either misshaped or fallen off. Because if they have, you'll likely see signs of water or crap coming from them and into the usual spots for rust on GS300's back ends. (My last GS300 had a 4 inch hole near the jack - my now GS300 thankfully is rust free, however I found a small amount of crap and a dribble of old water on the right side under the DVD player as the sticker had come off and water got in).
Hope something of that helps others with the same model GS300 as all the above info is what I had to piece together from other forums for other models and about 2 hours of fiddling :)

Thanks for the reply :)
I'm just sorting out a trolley jack or bottle jack as mines bust, I'll check all the joints anyway as that's free (can't check wheel balance for free?) and if all checks out, I'll get all 4 balanced and get all the tracking done too.
I've had a good many cars with wheels out of balance, and this doesn't feel much like wheel balance I must admit, but it is logical. I guess I am sceptical because the Merc I just sold had the exact same wobbles at the same speeds and I changed all 4 wheels and the problem was there all the same. Come MOT test, lower suspension bush and play in ball joints were advisories. Just hate the idea of chucking a few hundred to get all of it done, never really knowing if I needed to spend that much or not :D
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts, I shall work my way through the process asap once the new discs arrive and I fit them (hoping to gawd the calliper sliders aren't seized like my last GS300).

Evening everyone! Now summer is fading into our memories and rainy days ensue I thought I'd bring my questions here to give us something to do!
Didn't even mean to rhyme that. Anyway, picked up my 2nd GS300 yesterday. It's a November 2000 model. Very clean inside and out. My CLK failed the mot and I just wasn't feeling it, it was okay, but I prefer the Lexus. So out with the Merc and in with the GS300 :)
I've posted about the speed wobbles in the suspension section. But not sure where these would go at the moment.
Firstly as seen in the picture, the bonnet is bent? I history checked for accidents and it's clear and I can't see any indication of a shunt or major impact to that area. The inner and outer wings are original and washer bottle and all that haven't shifted. I reckon that the bonnet release cable stretched as they do, and someone tried jimmying the bonnet open because the crossmember over the passenger side headlight has marks on it and it's bent down a couple of cms. I can bend the crossmember back no worries but how can I get the bonnet back to sitting flush again?
Secondly, it's the navigation model. I'm sure the map dvd is original so I want to update it. I can't get the DVD to eject though - am insight in thinking Lexus have a trick to this? Also does any Lexus map dvd for that system work or does it have to be very model and year specific?
(I also read the DVD drive can be used as a player to the nav screen? But that's another topic)
Thirdly, am insight in thinking this is the later revised gs300 as it has clear lights and navigation (not ML sadly, just premium) and I'm assuming by Wikipedia the 220ish hp output?
Many thanks for any thoughts! Keep warm and stay safe :)

I used to break the odd gs300 a few years ago and abs pumps were a hot seller. As said, best to get the ecu tested on it and if its gone, maybe get a used pump with the ecu thats known to work (hard task but not impossible) as a cheaper option but the pump failure thing is fairly common.
I'm guessing a simple pulling of a fuse for a while wouldn't somehow reset anything? I've never tried so I'm guessing not. Anyone else tried some sort of reset?

Im thinking 2 or 3 things that might be an issue though I could be wrong. But here goes...
1. Kink or twist in one of the front brake flex hoses, so when turning, pressure increases causing the brake to press slightly and abs system thinks your locking up.
2. Caliper is slightly seized on the sliders (very common issue on gs300s) so again, tight turn and caliper not sliding, the brakes engage slightly, abs system thinks you're locking up.
3. Air in the brake system. Or the fluid is really old and taken in moisture. Bleed the brakes or better yet, replace the fluid. Always worth doing if it's not been done in over 4 years.
4. The abs system self test. My first gs300 had an issue when I first bought it whereby the abs would kick in when braking below 5mph. Pulled the fuse in the end to disable the abs. But I believe the abs pump does a self test when you start the car and lasts for about 5 seconds. Maybe something is making the pump self test when turning at low speed. But that's a long shot indeed.
I'd say it's either 1, 2 or 3, or as mentioned already, sensor or ring as they too are common wear and tear items on gs300s. Abs sensors are not too expensive, neither are the rings. Worth doing anyway.

Evening all! I hope you're all keeping warm and dry! :D
Well I'm on my 3rd old Lexus. This one being my second gs300 (2000). I just bought It yesterday. It is exceptionally clean but has a couple of tiny niggles I want sorted.
So in this section - wobbles at speeds of 60+. Comes and goes as speed increases. I'm pitching play in ball joints over wheel balance at this point as the wobbles remain at any high speed and one of the discs is warped (new set en route) so I figured the brake wobbles have knackered other things leading to other wobbles, most likely ball joints :D
No audible creeks or knocks low speed. Maybe, just maybe, a tiny light clunk when turning a tight roundabout and the weight shifts one side to the other. Not seeing any abnornal tyre wear as yet. Steering feels as it should, wheel is about 2 degrees off centre in a straight line. Corners well. Cant say if it wanders as it was windy as a retirement home on the drive back last night.
Is ball joints sounding like the right path or is there something else with this symptom I should be checking?
Ps) gs300 se standard, X reg (late 2000) 145k on the clock, decent history. Now to post other questions in their relevant places :)